What is Contemplation?

Contemplation is often understood as the highest expression of our intellectual and spiritual life. It is the full awakening of our being—being fully alive, fully aware, and fully active in the present moment. In contemplation, we move beyond the ordinary states of mind, entering a space where we are acutely aware of the Source of all life. This Source, transcendent and invisible, is the origin of everything that is, and contemplation provides us with a deep awareness of it.

"Contemplation is, above all, awareness of the reality of that Source. It knows the Source, obscurely, inexplicably, but with a certitude that goes both beyond reason and beyond simple faith." —Thomas Merton

This profound awareness is not just intellectual knowledge but a deep, lived experience of the Divine, one that transcends reason and even simple belief. The experience of contemplation allows us to touch the Divine directly, and in that touch, we come into full awareness of the mystery of life itself.

Yet, contemplation is not confined by human constructs like philosophy, art, or theology. These are valuable in their own right, but contemplation transcends them all. It fulfills them in ways that they cannot fulfill themselves. The contemplative experience takes us beyond human understanding and intellectual pursuits.

It is a journey into the vast unknown, into the very heart of God’s mystery. Contemplation is not about limiting God to our systems or beliefs, but about surrendering ourselves to His limitless freedom. In doing so, we enter a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Divine—one that can never be fully captured by human categories or frameworks.

This experience of God in contemplation often involves a paradox—"knowing by unknowing." It’s a knowing that transcends concepts, images, or even intellectual understanding. True contemplation takes us beyond the limitations of reason.

"Contemplation is a kind of spiritual vision to which both reason and faith aspire, because without it they must always remain incomplete."
—Thomas Merton

It’s not that reason and faith are discarded; rather, contemplation completes them. It’s a knowing that doesn’t require intellectual certainty or doctrinal belief. Instead, it is a direct and intimate experience of God’s presence, beyond the mind’s grasp, a knowing that is deeper than anything reason can articulate.

And this experience is transformative. To enter contemplation requires a kind of "death"—a letting go of our attachments, of the self-concept that we cling to, and of all the ideas we have about life. This "death" is not an end but a gateway to a higher life.

"A death for the sake of life, which leaves behind all that we can know or treasure as life." —Thomas Merton

In contemplation, we die to our limited understanding and our attachments to our own self-image. What we find in this "death" is a life that is richer, fuller, and more aligned with the Divine presence. The old ways of thinking and being fall away, and we are reborn in a higher state of awareness—a state where the presence of God is central to all that we do and all that we are.

"Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" —Jesus, Matthew 16:25

This union with God is the ultimate goal of contemplation. It is the awareness that we are not separate from God but deeply united with Him. This union is not something we can attain on our own, but rather it is a grace given by God. As the apostle Paul writes, "It is now no longer I that live but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). In contemplation, we awaken to this reality—that the Divine lives within us, and through that indwelling, we are united with God. This union transforms every aspect of our being, and it is the foundation of a life lived in divine awareness. We no longer see ourselves as separate beings struggling to find meaning or purpose. Instead, we recognize that our life is fully integrated into the life of God.

And yet, even though contemplation is a transformative and deeply personal experience, it is not something we can achieve through our own efforts. It is a gift of God’s grace.

"Contemplation is the gift of God Who, in His mercy, completes the hidden and mysterious work of creation in us by enlightening our minds and hearts."
—Thomas Merton

It is not something we can attain by striving or through intellectual pursuit. It is a divine gift—freely given, not earned. In this way, contemplation is different from other forms of spiritual practice. It is not something we create within ourselves but something we open ourselves to, allowing God’s grace to awaken us to His presence.

In contemplation, we become more than passive recipients of God’s grace; we become active participants in His divine plan. The contemplative life is not a solitary, individual experience but a dynamic response to God’s call.

Contemplation is also the response to a call: a call from Him Who has no voice, and yet Who speaks in everything that is, and Who, most of all, speaks in the depths of our own being." —Thomas Merton

God speaks to us not in audible words, but in the very depths of our soul, stirring us to respond. Our response is our life—a life that resounds with the divine echo, reflecting the beauty, majesty, and mercy of God. In this way, the contemplative becomes both the question and the answer, an embodiment of the divine inquiry and its divine response.

This relationship with God, built on the response to His silent call, is dynamic and ever-evolving. We do not simply encounter God once and move on. Rather, we are continually led deeper into His mystery.

The contemplative life is a continual journey, one in which we are perpetually drawn into deeper communion with the Divine. It is not static but full of movement, growth, and transformation as we are constantly led deeper into the freedom of God’s presence.

As we deepen into contemplation, we begin to realize that the very essence of our being is a divine gift.

"It is a vivid awareness of infinite Being at the roots of our own limited being."
—Thomas Merton

In this moment of realization, we see that our limited existence is not separate from the infinite Divine. Rather, it is intimately connected with it, flowing from the same Source. This awareness transforms the way we see the world around us. We no longer see it as ordinary or separate but as infused with divine presence. Every moment, every breath, becomes a reminder of the sacred reality that underlies all of life.

Contemplation fulfills all human experience, integrating the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of life. It brings everything into a higher unity—into alignment with the Divine.

"Contemplation is always beyond our own knowledge, beyond our own light, beyond systems, beyond explanations, beyond discourse, beyond dialogue, beyond our own self." —Thomas Merton

It transcends our limited understanding and brings us into a place where all experiences, all knowledge, all love are brought into a deeper unity with God’s eternal presence. In this way, contemplation is not a rejection of life or of experience, but a fulfillment of it, leading us to a higher understanding of who we are and why we are here.

In contemplation, we awaken to this truth—that the life we live is not our own but is the life of Christ within us. This realization elevates our entire existence, transforming our thoughts, actions, and relationships into reflections of Christ’s love and presence. The life of contemplation is, therefore, the life of Christ in us, bringing us into perfect unity with God and fulfilling the deepest desires of the human heart.